For decades the Faddegon family has been known throughout Albany and its surrounding area for the business that Cornelius Faddegon began in 1920: Faddegon's Nursery - now a 40-acre garden center and landscape facility located along Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham, NY. After graduating college with a degree in landscape design Jim Faddegon began his career in the family business. Focusing on the nursery's corporate design clients, Jim designed and coordinated the production of plantscapes for nearly 200 corporate accounts (typically office facilities) throughout the capital region. For over 30 years he worked with his family operating the nursery until ten years ago when life took him down a different path. In 1999 Jim decided to start a business of his own and "Faddegon's Building and Remodeling" was born. As with many new businesses the first years were challenging, but Jim was fortunate to have the assistance of a skilled carpenter who helped him to develop the key skills and techniques that served as the fundamental building blocks for his business.
Over the past decade Jim has grown Faddegon's Building and Remodeling through word of mouth referrals and repeat customers who know the quality workmanship and dedication that Jim and his crew put into each and every project. Faddegon's Building and Remodeling now employs a crew of 5 full time craftsmen who specialize in detailed trim work and custom creations. The company's main focus is on upscale residential remodeling, additions, and new construction. Jim has also partnered with Barden Homes to offer his customers an economical alternative to stick built home construction. The Barden panelized systems allow homes to be completed quickly and efficiently with the same quality craftsmanship as traditional stick built structures. Just last month Faddegon's completed a new Barden home in about 2 months.
In addition to his main focus on interior work, with his background in landscape design Jim is also able to offer his clients a unique perspective for exterior projects. When plantings and landscape work are involved, Jim will often coordinate these projects with Faddegon's nursery.
Always striving to deliver the best possible service to his clients, Jim is currently in the process of creating a web based system in which clients may log on to a secure site to check the status of their projects and receive progress reports.
To learn more about Faddegon's Building and Remodeling and see examples of their fine work, please visit: http://faddegonbuilders.com/. Jim Faddegon may be contacted at 518-783-2044, or jpfaddegon@yahoo.com.
As we celebrate our 65th year in business, we honor the relationships we have developed over the years with you, our customers. In large part the foundation of our success comes from your continued support and referrals. Thank you for choosing our materials for your projects over the years and we look forward to serving you in the future!
Brian Squire began his career as a builder in the mid-west and New England areas completing home renovations and constructing barns and stables. When life brought him to settle in the Hudson Valley in 1993, Brian and his wife Eva formed their own company, Victorian Builders and Remodeling. Initially working out of their house, they completed home renovations and various projects requested by their clients. As Victorian Builders became known through the Hudson Valley area for quality workmanship and customer care, business increased and additional staff was hired to meet the growing demand. In just six short years, Victorian Builders and Remodeling was incorporated and new offices and a shop were constructed at their current location in Cottekill, NY.
Today, with a staff of nine, Victorian Builders has grown to become one of the most respected contractors in the Hudson Valley area. Truly a versatile organization, they are known for completing everything from small bathroom renovations to brand new homes to unique construction projects. Brian and Eva's motto is: if their customers can dream it, Victorian Builders can build it! With their wide range of construction experience and skilled crew, Brian and Eva are able to complete projects that architects have designed or home owners have envisioned. For those clients whose project ideas are not yet fully developed, Victorian Builders helps them to create a direction and design that complements their lifestyle.
Always striving to meet the needs of every type of home owner, Victorian Builders has teamed up with Alta Log Homes and Normerica Post and Beam Homes to offer these different styles of home construction. Victorian Builders constructs these homes and finishes all interior work with the same quality and attention to detail as they do their own designs.
Victorian Builders is also committed to being an active member of their local community. Each year they sponsor a golf tournament to benefit an organization close to the Victorian Builders "family". Through these events, Victorian Builders has raised and donated thousands of dollars to various organizations including Hospice of Ulster and Dutchess Counties, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, the Rondout Valley Food Pantry, and Family of Woodstock's Darmstadt Homeless Shelter and Domestic Violence Shelter.
To learn more about Victorian Builders and Remodeling and see examples of their fine work, please visit their website:
Brian and Eva will also be exhibiting at the Hudson Valley Builders Association Trade Show coming up Wednesday, March 3 from 2:00pm - 7:30pm at Anthony's Pier 9, New Windsor, NY. Admission is free to all members of the trade, and is $5 for the general public.
These profiles can be ordered in most northeastern hardwoods and softwoods that we carry; Don't see a profile that matches what you're looking for? No problem - our skilled technicians can create new custom profiles to fit your project specifications.
Are you a cabinet maker, craftsperson, furniture builder, or artisan using rough hardwood lumber? If so, would you like to receive our monthly listing of rough lumber availabilities? Just send an email to natalie@wightmanspecialtywoods.com and we'll put you on our list!
Though it was an overcast and somewhat cool day last Saturday, the show went on here in Portlandville, NY for our Annual Open House. We had a great turn out for the event and everyone who attended seemed to enjoy their time here.
As in previous years, the main event for the day was the tours through our plant. Visitors were taken through each step of our manufacturing process to learn how our solid wood materials are made. From bringing logs to our facility to milling lumber into finished materials, visitors were able to see up close how each part of our operation functions on a daily basis.
The newest feature on our tour was our new double-cut band head saw located in our sawmill. After many months of preparation, installation and troubleshooting, we were very proud to show off this latest improvement to our plant - a sign that we are always moving forward and thinking of the future.
Our newly formatted woodworking event for this year was a huge success! Through our silent auction, our bidders raised over $1,800 to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Albany and Springbrook of Oneonta. Talented woodworkers who contributed the beautiful pieces for this event also realized nearly $1,000 in proceeds. Habitat for Humanity raised money for their ongoing projects through the sale of refreshments - the hot coffee and other goodies were much appreciated by everyone on such a cold day!
CNC router demonstrations conducted by Dan West of West WoodWorks provided many interested learners a great look into the functioning of CNC technology. Many attendees even purchased signs of their own created by Dan that day, and several individuals expressed interest in Dan's upcoming woodworking classes. (To learn more, contact Dan at Dan@WestWoodWorksINFO.com)
The children's activity was a big hit with all the kids who were very excited to build their own toy race car. A special thank you to Mary Peterson from Amazable Science Adventures for leading this fun family event!
Finally, "Just Throw Money" provided great live music and entertainment for everyone throughout the day - thank you to the musicians.
All in all, we at Wightman Specialty Woods enjoyed spending the day with those of you who were able to attend our Open House this year, and we look forward to another successful event in 2010!
If you missed our event and are interested in taking a tour of our facility, feel free to stop in any day, or click here to take our virtual tour!
West WoodWorks
Cherry Valley, New York
With a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Arts and Technology and a Masters in Education, Dan West began his career as a woodworking teacher at Oppenheim Ephratah Central School over 20 years ago. After completing 16 years in teaching, Dan entered the agriculture industry under the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the New York State Department of Labor. For 9 years he traveled throughout the Northeastern United States teaching machinery safety programs, while also authoring a number of articles for national magazines and various publications about safe operation and maintenance of agriculture equipment.
Throughout his teaching career Dan always maintained woodworking as a hobby. Five years ago he made the decision to turn this hobby into a business and West WoodWorks was born. Using local wood materials, Dan designs and custom crafts each piece to fit his customers specifications, from simple benches to intricate armoires.
Being a teacher all his life, it was natural for Dan to develop an educational component to West WoodWorks. Two years ago he began offering a monthly class in his woodworking shop. Course topics varied from requests by individuals to subjects Dan thought students would find interesting. The response from both beginning woodworkers and "do it yourselfers" to more advanced students was so successful that Dan expanded the number of class offerings and began developing "series" courses in which students were taken through a progression of classes relating to a particular topic.
Currently, Dan is in the process of shaping these educational services into a woodworking school. To be known as the "Leatherstocking Region School of Woodworking", the formalized program will allow Dan to instruct students on professional quality machinery and enable learners to operate equipment and build pieces of their own.
In addition to forming his woodworking school, Dan continues to improve his services at West WoodWorks. His latest acquisition is a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) router. Dan uses this tabletop router to create custom wood signs. The router fits a piece of wood 1 foot wide by 2 feet long. Dan types his sign into a computer program (similar to a word processing program) and chooses the size and style of the lettering. He then imports this information into the automated router and the sign is cut.
CNC technology, like Dan's router, offers woodworkers the ability to automate woodworking equipment through the use of computers. Woodworkers enter their design into a computer program, which translates the information and sends motion instructions to automated woodworking equipment. The woodworking equipment then generates the woodworkers design into a functional piece. This technology gives woodworkers the ability to create accurate and detailed pieces in a short amount of time. CNC is also popular in shops where precise and often repeated patterns must be created - cabinet shops are a good example. A cabinet maker will load specifications into CNC equipment to cut all parts for the cabinet from large pieces of wood or plywood. This ensures accurately cut, repeated parts in a short amount of time, with minimal waste.
If you are interested in seeing how CNC technology works, and meeting Dan of West WoodWorks, stop in to Wightman's Annual Open House on Saturday October 10th. Dan will be demonstrating his CNC router throughout the day and answering any questions about CNC technology, West WoodWorks, or any general questions about his life-long pursuits: teaching and woodworking! To learn more about West WoodWorks and Dan West please visit:
Just a reminder that our Annual Open House woodworking event is coming up on October 10th!
This year’s event will be a silent auction in which individual bidders will be able to purchase the entries submitted to the event by the woodworkers. The proceeds from the auction will be split between the woodworker, the Ronald McDonald House of Albany, and Springbrook of Oneonta. (Wightman Specialty Woods will not be keeping any portion of the auction proceeds).
This event offers a great opportunity for woodworkers to promote their work, earn some extra dollars, and also donate to 2 wonderful charities.
Nestled on Narragansett Bay in the heart of New England sits the small town of Bristol, Rhode Island. Recently awarded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a "Vacation Destination for 2009", Bristol is known for its peaceful charm, friendly residents, and famous 4th of July celebration (Main Street is even decorated year round with a red, white and blue center stripe).
Located in the waterfront Historic District of Bristol is Thames Street Landing. This mixed-use property consists of a boutique-style Inn, shops and restaurants, and combines the amenities of today with the site's important historical significance.
Constructed in the 1800's, the waterfront location originally served as a shipping and receiving site. During the devastating hurricane that struck the New England region in 1938, much of the waterfront and surrounding buildings were severely damaged - even to this day, a stone building on the property displays a permanent '"dent" where it was struck by a large ship during the storm.
In the years following the hurricane the waterfront was home to various businesses, including a lumber yard, quahog processing plant, and bank, however, the area gradually deteriorated and was left abandoned. Over the last 7-10 years the site has undergone a tremendous revitalization that has transformed the waterfront into a functional and enjoyable area. To preserve its connection with the past, the property was constructed using traditional materials. Slate floorings, woodwork, and natural stone materials all complement the interior and exterior of the property. Wightman Specialty Woods has been proud to provide many custom mouldings specifically designed to maintain historical accuracy, as well as Red Oak materials that skilled carpenters have used to create much of the interior millwork for the Inn and restaurants.
The restoration and redevelopment of this beautiful waterfront property has allowed both town residents and travelers to appreciate and enjoy the essence of Bristol - a quintessential New England town.
To learn more, please visit: http://www.bristolharborinn.com/
In a time where computers, iPhones, and Facebook seem to have become the most popular forms of expression, in Middleburgh, New York, the time honored tradition of working with natural materials lives strong.
At Middleburgh High School, students in Dave Dickerson’s “Materials Processing” class are hard at work studying and practicing the fundamental principals of woodworking. Although they began in Middle School creating small woodworking projects and learning how to use some of the equipment in Dickerson’s shop (including band saws and sanding machines) for the majority of students in the class this is their first hands on woodworking course. Dickerson limits Materials Processing to 15 individuals in order to maintain an independent study type teaching experience with each student.
The young woodworkers are responsible for selecting their own projects. After reviewing plan books for ideas, each student works closely with Dickerson to choose a project that is within the range of their ability and also incorporates the latest methods in woodworking. The process then begins: Each week Dickerson has the students develop a list of tasks to be completed on their pieces. This allows students to act as their own project managers by developing a well thought out strategy for completing their designs, and also allows Dickerson to run the class efficiently by scheduling in advance machine set-ups and extra time for students who may require assistance.
At the end of each year, the Materials Processing student’s final projects are featured at the Middleburgh Central School “Technopalooza”. This annual event organized by the Middleburgh Central School Technology Department includes presentations, exhibits and competitions with student work produced throughout the year. This year’s event also featured an Antique and Custom Car show.
It is clear in talking with Dickerson that he and Middleburgh School are passionate about their technology program, recognizing that it challenges students while also teaching them many valuable and life long skills.
We at Wightman Specialty Woods are proud to be able to support this program through use of our wood materials, and commend these talented students for the time and hard work they have put into creating these beautiful pieces.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, New York
Office space and ReStore
When Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh needed new office space, they could have built from scratch, or just added a bit of paint and spackle to an existing space. The organization decided instead to preserve a 150-year legacy.
The Kimball Building in downtown Newburgh, N.Y., was a 13,000 square foot industrial-grade building. Erected in 1852, the facility originally housed a foundry that made metal castings, steam pipes and manhole covers. In the 1930's the building was converted to an auto mechanic machine shop and recently, it served as an electrical contractor's business and roofing company. The facility was anything but office and retail space, but it was part of downtown Newburgh.
Just as Habitat has restored dozens of homes to help rebuild Newburgh, they decided to restore the Kimball Building. In 2008, Habitat called in Wightman Specialty Woods to create the wood flooring for 5,000 square feet of the historic building.
It was a complex task, but as well worth the effort as any Habitat home restoration.
Wightman Specialty Woods manufactured Custom Joined #1 Soft Maple flooring to accommodate the office spaces, conference facility and ReStore for the building (The ReStore is a building materials recycling and resale facility open to the public). Using the architect's floor plan, we created a specific layout for each space and implemented a color coding system in which all custom-joined flooring packs were marked and designated a specific area for installation.
The color coding system allowed Habitat's volunteers and employees to quickly and easily install the flooring themselves, saving a great deal of time and expense. Habitat has occupied the space since October 2008.
What a great example of good, efficient work! Recycle and re-purpose an old building to function as not only a work space for an organization whose mission is to rebuild communities, but also to serve as a local source for recycled building materials. We hope they continue to serve the greater Newburgh community for many decades to come. For more information, visit Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh.
Over the last several months we have been busy preparing our sawmill for the installation of a state-of-the-art, double-cut band head saw. The saw itself was installed last week, and the project is scheduled for final completion by the end of May. We'd like to share with you more about how this new equipment will improve our operations and how we accomplished its installation.
Improved technology: Circular saws vs. Band saws
(First image: Circular saw , Second image: Band saw)
In a sawmill, the "head saw" refers to the sawing equipment responsible for making the initial cuts in a log.
As opposed to the circular head saw we had in operation for decades, this new piece of equipment is a band saw. The difference between the two is a circular saw rotates in a circular cutting motion, similar to a table saw. A band saw consists of a continuous band of metal with teeth along one or two edges (our new saw has teeth along both edges). The metal band rides on two wheels which rotate in the same plane. While some mills still use circular head saws, they are somewhat outdated and offer fewer capabilities compared to band saws.
Increased capabilities and efficiencies this band saw offers include:
* Ability to saw larger logs - up to 42" diameter
* Ability to cut logs in both directions (forward and reverse) as they pass by the saw on our log carriage - increasing efficiency
* Ability to produce more Quarter Sawn materials
* Ability to decrease the load on our existing, downstream band saw by
transferring some of the cutting to the new band saw
* One half the saw kerf as the circular head saw, resulting in more lumber, less waste, and less power consumption. The new band saw has a saw kerf of .13", as opposed to the circular saw which has a saw kerf of .25".
Preparation of the site:
The preparation of our sawmill involved demolition work and the relocation of all saw maintenance operations (sharpening and leveling). As our saws require routine maintenance every 4 hours each day, relocating these activities to an area directly above our sawing facility allows our maintenance crew to perform its job with greater ease and efficiency.
Installation day:
A hole large enough to accommodate the saw was cut in the roof of our new sawmill building. This allowed for the saw to be lifted up over the building and placed down into the head saw location. (Our head saw is actually located in the center of the building, therefore transporting the saw in through the doors or side of the building was not feasible). To lift the 17,000 pound saw up and into place, a 100 ton crane was required. The entire process was completed quite smoothly in approximately 3 hours. We expect to have the new saw running by the end of May, and hope to have any glitches worked out by early July.
If you have not yet visited our plant, please feel free to stop in for a tour or take our online virtual tour!
Through the Catskill WoodNet, Wightman Specialty Woods and a number of Catskill area businesses recently exhibited at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show. The goal of our display was to raise awareness and educate show attendees about the role of Catskill WoodNet and the importance of the forest products industry in New York State. Here we take the opportunity to pass along our message.
The Catskill WoodNet is a regional network of businesses that harvest and manufacture wood products from New York's Catskill Mountain Region. Comprised of woodworkers, artisans and sawmills, the goal of our diverse group is to encourage and promote a working landscape that connects people with local forest resources.
For centuries there has been an intimate connection between the people and the forests in the Catskill region. Early farmhouses and barns were framed and planked with hemlock lumber, and their floors and millwork made from oak, maple, or white pine. From baseball bats in Cooperstown to rustic garden settees in Woodstock, roughly 1,500 jobs depend on the wise-use of Catskill forests to support the local wood products industry.
Preservation and responsible management of the Catskill forest lands is particularly important as our region is the primary source of water for New York City. The Catskill/Delaware system of the NYC Watershed covers 1,584 square-miles and provides clean drinking water to over 10 million New York City homes and communities. 90% of New York City's water originates in the Catskills where forests provide a natural buffer to protect the superior water quality in the streams and reservoirs. The remaining 10% of water comes from a suburban watershed east of the Hudson River, however, this water must be filtered to be fit for human use.
The wood products industry is not only important to our local Catskill region, but also to the entire State of New York. The land area of New York State is 30.22 million acres. Today, 61% (18.46 million acres) of this land is forested, which is remarkable considering just 80 years ago New York contained only half this area of forest.
The entire state has benefited immensely from this unprecedented and dramatic reforestation, while at the same time maintaining a diversity of landscape amenities such as farms, water, and other open spaces. The annual contribution of forest-based manufacturing and forest-related recreation and tourism to the New York economy is over $8.8 billion. The forest-based manufacturing industry, forestry and logging provides employment for 57,200 people and generates a payroll of over $2.1 billion, while Forest-based recreation and tourism provides employment for over 14,600 and generates payrolls of $300 million.
The forest products industry in New York is comprised of a diverse group of businesses ranging from pulp and paper mills, sawmills, engineered panel plants, biomass energy plants, secondary manufacturing in the furniture and related business as well as the logging and trucking contractors who deliver the raw materials to market.
The majority of timberland, roughly 90%, in New York is privately owned by business concerns or family forest owners. This places a great responsibility on our land owners to manage their forests, a practice which landowners take seriously. In the Catskill region alone, landowners are practicing forestry under the guidance of a long-term forest stewardship plan at over 5 times the national average for regions of similar size. Through careful planning with Watershed Qualified Foresters, Catskill landowners manage their forestland as part of a working landscape providing raw materials to local mills that supply lumber to area carpenters and cabinet shops. It is a strong economic model for a sustainable working landscape: local landowners providing raw materials to local wood products manufacturers that create jobs for local people.
To learn more about the Catskill WoodNet and members of our group, please visit http://www.catskillwoodnet.org/, and next time you find yourself searching for wood products, look for the Pure Catskills trademark of the Catskill WoodNet illustrating a commitment to using watershed friendly practices, buying local and supporting a centuries old tradition of craftsmanship and care for the land in the Catskills.
We have created this new section of our website specifically with our woodworkers in mind.
Whether you have been an avid woodworker for years, or just enjoy doing small projects on the weekends, our online woodworking community is a place where you may exchange ideas, questions, photos, and videos with others who share your passion for working with wood.
To learn more or join our online community click here.
At the Woodworker's Corner you may also learn more about the rough hardwood lumber materials we at Wightman's are able to provide in Mini and Small Lot Wholesale quantities (availabilities are updated monthly). Click here to visit our new Woodworker's Corner!
In conjunction with the Catskill WoodNet, Wightman Specialty Woods and several other Catskill area wood product businesses, will be exhibiting at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show!
The Catskill WoodNet is a regional network of businesses that havest and manufacture wood products from New York State's Catskill Mountain Region.
Show information:
Dates: March 26 - 29, 2009
Location: Pier 94, 12th Avenue at 55th Street, New York, NY
Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Booth: #G301
Brian Squire began his career as a builder in the mid-west and New England areas completing home renovations and constructing barns and stables. When life brought him to settle in the Hudson Valley in 1993, Brian and his wife Eva formed their own company, Victorian Builders and Remodeling. Initially working out of their house, they completed home renovations and various projects requested by their clients. As Victorian Builders became known through the Hudson Valley area for quality workmanship and customer care, business increased and additional staff was hired to meet the growing demand. In just six short years, Victorian Builders and Remodeling was incorporated and new offices and a shop were constructed at their current location in Cottekill, NY.
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Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, New York
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